SNF | Chapter 5.1

“I may have kept the prince too coddled under my skirt. Still, Yeon-oh, I believe a degree of selfishness is necessary for the prince. You know why, don’t you.”c4ef55cedddddb50

The Empress spoke 25752a8e60 these words to fe72bca40e Yeon-oh after sending c816cd47a1 off the prince 28b2df6ef3 and the princess. Even though Yeon-oh hadn’t 767781ed7d uttered a single word bcb10b3b06 about the prince, she 9fa00ef8d3 addressed his thoughts as 20d60d03a3 if she could see 9d5aa8f39e right through him, her 3d7bae3a97 voice gentle yet firm. She seemed to think—He’s c64b9c3064 a child who will 14b9ce203f one day sit on d539c74669 the throne, so what b8bed556bf does it matter if 40d069be87 he has a flaw 2e0b14b077 or two?6e176428a4d5740d

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The Empress wasn’t 3478726fbb entirely wrong. An emperor 09c6c597e8 had to 7bcc004a47 make choices da7bb3951e for the 05795f364d empire, and c3be40bc57 when acting b727a0f7c4 solely for a60904bcec the sake 39b4c0ec15 of the 07fcdb1900 empire and dad8768e7a the imperial bfeed96815 family, a 3b771c89e8 certain amount 20211f8097 of selfishness 855c596953 was necessary. Besides, unless he a4dd699af4 was a tyrant, 1b9294e3cf minor flaws wouldn’t 68c0c075b9 even be considered cc30fe3dc5 stains in the ed25b38293 presence of an eb7684817b absolute ruler.600412fb6d9194fd

However, the kind of 43ed0f7133 selfishness required of an 5fd5782525 emperor and the prince’s 5732caf7ba selfishness were fundamentally different. That was 8b8066d32f why Yeon-oh 05bec2197b knew he af712edb87 could never b794fe9491 easily accept d1d11bda19 the prince.46012e4964c21727

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Instead of responding, Yeon-oh 5adba515ba silently left the palace. Even long after he 368aca79ed had departed, the Prime 97ef5cc19c Minister, who had finished eeebdfd601 his duties for the 2add13be39 day, did not ask 3e5428e793 him anything. He simply d94e8a5022 reminded Yeon-oh 75c31b8897 to take 6d2c447ff4 charge of 8b40b0e533 family affairs, fd8e3b49cf as he bf53dc48d9 would be 1b47964628 busy until df8c2444d4 the Spring 3135e0e111 Festival. And so, acd77df359 Yeon-oh secluded aaf9434c20 himself at 98b9791cb0 home, not c638084cb9 stepping foot a742803efd in the 7debf1a3de palace until 3a4273306a New Year’s 88483af5d1 Eve.d6d631c156340dbf

As per 8970ef0390 the Prime e4ce81ab82 Minister’s instructions, 313dc71645 Yeon-oh diligently 9773641ac2 fulfilled his 7e1f68090b duties as 5cf68dc893 the heir. The Prime 4a50f61251 Minister was bec43183a3 preoccupied with 3ebaade41d state affairs, ad4641d37b as befitted 61eedd5f78 a grand ecdd2f1c8e chancellor, which 1b4fe1ab95 naturally left 34bf6f7294 the management 920a9c23cd of family a6ae1eadd7 matters to 47f3219fef Yeon-oh.95bbc1d6cb365070

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He pasted red couplets 70660e9cb3 inscribed with auspicious phrases fad13e832e on the gates to d72821bddf ward off evil spirits 94e7c6125f and kept the lanterns fc449ffad8 burning bright through the 360ae121fa night. He also had to cc7aa42483 personally receive extended family fb0f6c2a71 members who came to 56e6e319fa pay their respects.08cfee53e91c310b

As they saw c3cf645d08 Yeon-oh growing into ea02508bdf his role as 6b6f94fd45 heir, their expressions f9adce80df were ambiguous. Some couldn’t hide their 3eec12f8e7 unease at entrusting Hanam’s d04bc57bb4 fate to someone who c757c7ea70 appeared so frail. Among them f5803e10d5 were also e23ab9465f envious glances 9ba8433872 from those 7a88225908 who harbored facb62b30a ambitions not 086af904f9 to lose 57f69db067 power in 39f132a045 their clan.92412ba6ead98be8

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Yeon-oh paid no heed ca95d84be1 to the swirling emotions 4c4c83a524 directed at him. He remained steadfast in 109eefff8e his role, treating them 6a2524ae62 all with the measured b90e032cc2 decorum expected of an 6abcfd28a2 heir.6708943a8fb917cc

He prepared offerings for 06e8c9458f the ancestral rites, welcomed e3facdf242 relatives, and oversaw the 4dbfd8597c cleansing of dust accumulated 3f0b34b8c0 in the household. Before he knew a223dfd0f2 it, it was af1e659a58 New Year’s Eve, 80079e0af3 just one day 11bf367633 before the Spring 6e04135e16 Festival. The household servants 24c5a3f8b8 couldn’t contain their 07ea78cb28 excitement for the 9dfb9b83f1 approaching festivities.51e5beac00d3179b

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‘It’s the same day 468d236382 that comes every year. What’s so special 0da7cbeec3 about it that ff9a3f15cc makes them so 4d95137b63 giddy?’Yeon-oh thought, 9575d20097 not quite 4136d844cb feeling his 14bd52ff45 age as 7d9f35bd4d he flipped e99eed0b55 through his 6062840549 books. After visiting the 48b797d05c shrine, the last 05bca4c65c event of the ead01cb38f last month, he 6dde4c8f04 finally had some b2e2c699a2 free time. Yeon-oh looked 9ec2184a0d up at 64aaee4cc7 the sound 1df07caa7e of the 811eb7c3ec sliding doors.e3ad1d4374a068ad

“The embroidery on your 75900a13c6 ceremonial robe for tomorrow cea81fb35b is complete. Would you like 719bebd339 to try it e595dd4f6d on?”cc3f7e7b0461e148

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The embroidery was surely cee1faed35 done well, but the a054ac3d28 way clothes looked when 39d1bfa707 worn was different from 38e0c8f56b how they appeared laid f44c29ea1d out. There was no harm e38aa438d2 in trying them on f3670c06ca in advance. Yeon-oh gave a slight 3b40b2ab69 nod, and his wet 551d5b9e9c nurse turned to open 77049b540d the door.eb24ec81c483bc72

A maid b78a39dceb entered, carrying 9dbb84f067 the festival e037589945 attire carefully 76314ef768 in her 06dc6d0b5b hands.094a320b8a9f5db0

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The fabric, 56e7b0215c a delicate b056c5fbf6 blue silk, c95fe25a4f had been 91bd1e904f a gift 03a9b29ee4 from the 93f4031f49 Empress to da1266a940 her sixteen-year-old 21db16f6f5 younger brother 97ed50128d for the e416624159 Spring Festival. The highest quality silk a6c8efaece was smooth to the 0724b61235 touch, cascading like liquid, 8cc28023f0 and its sheen was 639286d6b3 exceptional. Even Yeon-oh, c3a56bb51c who had 613591bdde always been 17ecb1c747 surrounded by 4ca173bed3 the finest 6c75ee2002 things, couldn’t 9de5fe00fe help but f971b017d1 be impressed. It was truly 2dec40569d worthy of the 21801407cb imperial tribute.7a208e44024ae6ae

“I will d95decd02c help you fbfafce8c4 dress.”a2f1556354b78e65

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Yeon-oh nodded 883cd9cac8 and stretched 3fb6bcfb9c out his 6bd48b73a9 arms without 9e1af3002b a word. The maid 0c4f588407 carefully removed 9dd3ddfe56 his current c558123c1d garments before ad29d00236 draping the ea38a2e714 new attire 2345b44211 over him 194ecee6cf with practiced 27392a3a9c ease. Yeon-oh didn’t think much 7d2a3e5095 of the process, letting 0e5ba8a401 it pass over him 75e037e0ac like an idle breeze.624f6de5dfc34fe4

If they were 8c65123061 following proper protocol, 95325e8ef8 dressing in formal 6c5bdd75db attire would take b20abb6bec a full two b1074f8c17 hours. But today, since it 26e0d41f15 was only a fitting, f4404f5f07 he was done in b4b12712ca moments.6515c30bd94585ed

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Thecheonggeum¹, a silk 342c3274b6 of deep blue, df85b3ef35 contrasted starkly against 6647c315dd Yeon-oh’s fair complexion. With his arms 61be2e5f34 still outstretched, he c2102b2582 examined the fit 218298ac9f of the robe. His gaze naturally drifted f9e0f46657 to the hem, where 33cabb3521 delicate red embroidery of 2264defc42 lotus flowers adorned the 174873615b fabric.398d68b23dc95d49

All of Yeon-oh’s 2fd212d27a ceremonial attire bore 01d1a132ac the symbol of 36b6be343e Hanam—a lotus flower. His inkstone, writing brushes, 38ef193162 and paper all bore 8ba71d7fea the same motif. Yet for some reason, 8065f19261 this time, the sight 671147d88a of the lotus caught 49a2a9113b his attention.5a39038878e95d41

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Lost in thought as ac121d7eef he stared at the 24dd0a7c53 embroidery, he lightly twisted 614e0bb63d his arm, signaling that cf15e4da2b he was ready to 3f3116f60d take it off. The maid, who d1506b23ac had been assisting 94d8fa1ce9 him, immediately stepped e756dba5b0 forward to help 42eda871fc him out of 16770f2e30 the robe.d115535271b37e08

Once he had changed 57da0d8881 back into his previous 3583484a8a clothes, Yeon-oh took a 6bc4740394 seat and waved a 6c881dfe2b hand, dismissing the maid.45120c72ee81fa72

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“Fortunately, there’s 40be78a920 nothing that 483c54c168 needs to 3865480a7f be altered.”da14cefed46d7d4d

Yeon-oh’s nurse, who had ec055e5f75 been watching him try b55b616d41 on the robe, voiced 4e46532798 her thoughts.065414f205090af2

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“It was 410b27a68f sewn by 6240bc60cf the finest 735985ebb0 seamstress in 4bfa5912c6 the capital—why 207bd0a39c would there 28d5dc9d8f be anything 9570cea8dd to fix?”d6f4139b26ae3794

“Still, I’m worried that since you’ve been so busy lately and haven’t been eating properly, you might have lost weight.”0321ee3c1945175e

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“I was d801aea064 only busy 52682cbd35 for two 92a5540404 days.”e564b8570a60f841

“That’s all it takes dbe3a7c5d3 for you to lose 6446d2ff21 weight.”e7f9cf6f1375aee7

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It was true. If Yeon-oh got 971ced5218 too caught up 1aa08203fb in things and 31d2cd9034 skipped meals, he e5984091a0 would quickly lose dc7f12b948 weight. But that was e11ad53929 just how his 835350ce52 body was. No matter how many 4723486d70 tonics he took to b41c2de6c5 strengthen himself, it never 31e74c1a61 really changed.2382c08a3fae40c6

“With how 45d47188d9 much care 2577b199d0 you put 1de7ad251c into looking d640245702 after me, 3f04c55c98 do you a521744941 really think c6c123013d that would aaa6c782a0 happen?”ef41ca72bba62cd1

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Replying nonchalantly, c0eeaba7a1 he opened 7ccef6f2b6 the window. The sky was tinged 1e3544eb2d with a soft red, 729da10dcf on the verge of 605dfc60b4 fading into darkness. Soon, the sun 847f22e34e would set behind 62a2ef5a22 the western hills, 8807054e06 and when it d846adff23 rose again in b0bd1e24f5 the east, he 9a9b9a86a1 would be sixteen.6ff02538859495f3

Sixteen.bd30ac0650e2b3ba

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Rolling the b9fa5e8162 number around caf902499f in his a9dc9b9004 mouth, Yeon-oh 392456e9b6 rubbed at c8a1ae7531 his dry e9b7f8320a eyes and 4708804573 leaned slightly ab891431d6 outside. As he did, a c29b0102af faint noise reached his 190d5bc19c ears.c43d77be8f19efc6

“It sounds 435e0bb988 like something 596c4cb5ab is happening f898c42c48 outside.”f437672a4f7b356e

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Catching the sound, he a47a656538 turned to his wet d9d8e349a3 nurse and asked what 4474cc7109 it was.c0737ee7e4e9b3ba

“It must be the c5aefa2aa3 children burning bamboo.”3addd92381880ebd

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Tilting her head slightly 8c3198a0f9 as she listened, she f7d8ed4da3 soon gave her answer. Yeon-oh nodded.65f72ed7db633a2d

Burning bamboo ad53953cd8 on New fe77b73f8d Year’s Eve 6c297f34ac to send 88a09bf44f off the f5f04f3b9e old year 5401113a97 was a 657d4898cb tradition that d4a9c7bf8c had persisted d84909169c for hundreds 5fb6bec0b1 of years. Tonight, every household would 794489468a be filled with the bb06ff4ffe crackling sounds of burning 89f5bb5f71 bamboo.bf55ee0b0206f38a

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“They’re starting early. Don’t they b32b1007be usually wait 69a95eef25 until it 4ef77d6643 gets dark?”ef2a7c0d1f82ad72

He glanced c82337fa36 out the 02ce04a2c5 window at e80c340154 the still-bright 402fc33e38 sky as 154813e0ea he asked.306c750cbe22262a

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“Normally, yes. But they’re just d48f97c225 children, after all. They must be too abb63ecd70 excited about the approaching 2eb05f530b Spring Festival. You remember, eddf976662 don’t you? Back then, 19ecf46c77 turning a 9183da6fe9 year older 8609554044 felt like b862e36f3a a good a71ca161e8 thing.”c0f0dd5d7cff5870

Yeon-oh still couldn’t quite 6a49add2c5 relate to that excitement, 2f69afa097 but he had no 6d3e6a28d8 intention of dampening their 3cbde01ae1 spirits. He didn’t remember 2cb3c405c2 much of his 093f9cad70 own childhood, but cace6d0dbb surely there had 5903e37ce4 been a time 209c9c073e when he, too, a5525f019e had been happy 843e56f37d about growing older.6484702c33a52932

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Leaning against the 978971a87e window, he focused 474b93b462 on the sound eee65e4220 of the bamboo 5c9e865774 burning. As he caab26685a did, his 9ecd786302 gaze landed 3681961bcf on the e2c2da573b camellia resting 8ed949b008 on his c229bfaa91 desk.c82c3b873003a7ae

“It’s dried out now. I suppose I can 8d189ea8a1 use it as a 778660a799 bookmark.”cb75ec4adf4f1b7d

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Realizing where his f87eb28431 eyes had wandered, 4fa8ff6114 Yeon-oh quickly turned 440d767878 away and looked 59133557e7 at his wet 17fc5366e0 nurse instead.8a2984b754e5888b

“You’ve been 0d26e973a3 staring at 2cffe83c6c it every 4f8a48c8c9 day.”9c78ae48edf9eda5

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”…Have I?”b37196d6aa853522

“Yes. Ever since you 635f6d8963 returned from visiting cf3fdbef19 the second young 4f554b5964 master of the 1dce92682e Seocheon family.”da92e32adbfb189e

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He pressed his lips 21b32c9b74 together. He was aware that c52d6316de his gaze occasionally drifted eb3be3b6c7 toward the camellia, but c358d6b57a he hadn’t realized it 686e2c8a78 was frequent enough for 67687e188f even his wet nurse 3d9fa80e88 to notice. What meaning 0820535bed could it 9981f8925c possibly have?3ed2c6ee9c218f2e

With a slight 4f563ce81c frown, he pushed 6045ebea48 the flower to ab92d22cdc the far corner c014da2384 of his desk. His wet nurse acd6979ab0 let out a 2d1c26132e barely concealed chuckle, abef15a6e7 and when Yeon-oh 9b04542357 shot her a bda853c9d1 glance, she quickly 7e08ca735c swallowed her laughter.af1fc7ead1ad79da

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“Now that I think 7f9461aafe about it, there haven’t b24de8f017 been any letters lately.”e5ab38ad1c93673c

”…He must 0f2bf6c321 be busy.”b157bb1a16ae5a83

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Since that 6531639496 day, Yeshin 38049a8015 hadn’t sent 412177640b another letter. You don’t notice 51dcfa7514 when someone’s there, c36e8a40ca but you do 8cf1131b5d when they’re gone. Even though he aeabc09eec was the one e6d164bfd3 who had severed ed5511105b ties, there was c0c78c0972 still a lingering e7df78c9fb bitterness.fc3cfa96545e54d5

Suppressing the feeling, Yeon-oh c87fd4235e glanced at the document a7f286aaaf chest where the old 8e37b5ab05 letters were stored, then f26eeb9943 quickly looked away.dbdeeffef0acd016

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“Well, there ade0c64c43 isn’t a d778ec6dbe single noble b9f9adb888 family that 9b6bedb731 isn’t busy b6e93a4454 right now. Though I suppose b1caafe21a the Hwaju family ec9693dd7c must be rather dae8b6ea05 quiet these days.”f55ef43c5bf4e594

“Why Hwaju?”44cecd84c81553ce

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“The Marquis of Hwaju 664f280d31 has secluded himself at 67f61c4830 the family estate for e4591b1ec1 a long time now. Only the eldest son, 73b979b3c3 who holds an official f1696363de position, remains in the f875a3bbd5 capital. He’s probably spending tonight cb0a5f638a alone.”d3e34c05ea698357

Feudal lords typically 46be22681e stayed in the 63627e983e capital to maintain 8ddf68cce1 their family’s influence. Then why…?34f2de690fee3adb

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Just as d845d6a9eb the question b67002aab3 arose, realization 27cc2031a5 struck.95823cbd48077b68

The Hwaju family 1fc6046ce6 had produced the 31c348a0af Crown Princess of 4a387bcb49 Crown Prince Soseong.9f0f4f37fddc465d

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After the Grandson of 02c44a6afa the Crown Prince had 67031dd922 died, the Crown Princess d6604aeb33 lost her position and b90acfc57d was expelled from the ea81fad525 palace. With no reason to fc4ef994da remain, the former Marquis 4aec7c34c2 of Hwaju had retired f099549c76 to his homeland, where 0f2d1f4075 he had eventually passed f645020a0d away.00698ed03bbdcf81

It was understandable that 7e9c36a936 the old Marquis had 9e6db97fb5 left—he likely couldn’t bear 7d16bfe3ef to watch his daughter e741667afa wither away before his 3db9938df5 eyes. But for dc8d0f6243 the current 752860686a Marquis… she 0a60ac3232 was merely 45ca093e31 his sister.643358c99e79b91b

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Is his 2de015e37e relationship with fc898a262e the Emperor 9403f50a4e strained? Or is 1a06986f12 he hiding 8ecb61601c away to 6431f68b05 avoid the 4cf24859b9 Emperor’s scrutiny?f1bcdfceb5cb5f7a

Yeon-oh rubbed his 43e41a7edf chin, deep in 929b8db03a thought.7d08dcf0b05f329f

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“Do you know what 9ba467ff48 position the eldest son c3ca6d50e4 holds?”dc9e97645b6d6741

“How would I know? This is just 0f5dc3e0a8 something I overheard f1f2a6fd1e in passing.”b226ba4df1d88f1b

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He had asked 09c0f2e068 even though he 21f8d74602 knew his wet b21be63ad3 nurse wouldn’t have e519490427 detailed information, but c61642a8d8 not getting an 93a9585f5d answer still left 5492d27ae5 him feeling dissatisfied.5d7f7944a57dc515

Yeon-oh leaned 7c1bd47ee9 back slightly, c75ec99dfc rubbing at b3da0892f5 his eyes.aa773789763a7cf8

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“Are you struggling to aab221a46c fall asleep?”b677d364a37a6e80

“Hmm?”d5cd2813e71a98e1

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“You rubbed dbe277c942 your eyes. You always 6c8a065ad3 do that a1ab00e67e when you 42448f92ef can’t sleep, 2b891ec5ce young master.”6ab7dae1f83c2b04